Remembering past journeys, recording current trips and planning for the next one!

Menu

For the Love of Flowers

I wonder if, when Jennie Butchart first began designing her garden in 1906, she imagined how many people would come to visit in the future. Her work was the start of what would become the famous Butchart Gardens, 22 hectares of floral beauty visited by one million people every year.

Jennie’s first project was the Japanese Garden, complete with a red torii gate and traditional stone lanterns. Arched bridges span a series of ornamental lakes, and Japanese maples provide shade for beds of delicate Himalayan blue poppies.

The Sunken Garden was designed to fill the abandoned quarry which had once provided limestone to the family’s cement factory. A switchback path leads down into the garden, continuing on between raised beds of seasonal blooms, flowering trees and neatly manicured lawns.

At the furthest end of the Sunken Garden, the Ross Fountain performs a dazzling display of dancing water, at times reaching a height of 21 metres.

In contrast to the order of the Sunken Garden, the Rose Garden is almost riotous in its abundance. Fragrant blooms in every colour fill archways and spill out onto the paths. Arbors draped with climbing roses and oversized hanging baskets beckon visitors, who stop time and again to take more photos.

The Italian Garden and Star Pond are more formal in style, with trimmed hedges, waterlily ponds and ornamental fountains. Fuschias, clustered like ballerinas waiting in the wings, dangle from more hanging baskets.

Shaded seats with beautiful views are provided here for those enjoying a treat from the Gelataria.

In any season, the gardens are busy with people who’ve come to marvel at the beauty created by Jennie Butchart.

I think she’d be pleased to know how much joy her vision still brings, more than 100 years after she planted her first roses.

I have some Canadian friends who always take their visitors there and everyone raves about the place. You have taken some stunning photos Carol (or Glen) 🙂 Isn’t it wonderful that a dream of a beautiful garden gets to live on and please so many people. It’s quite a legacy!

I’m pleased to report that all these photos are mine. 🙂 I bought a new camera before this trip and I experimented with the settings instead of leaving it on auto. I’m very happy with the results. This garden really is a wonderful legacy and it’s nice to know it is still owned and managed by the Butchart family.

I didn’t feel that way at all. We were amazed by the lushness of the gardens – plenty of water makes all the difference. We were probably a couple of weeks too early to see the roses in their prime, but they were still fantastic.

A visit to this garden has been on my bucket list for a long time. So, I sat back and treasured each of your photos. It is truly amazing. Thank you for allowing me a peak into this gorgeous destination. 🌺

We felt Canadians didn’t appreciate how lucky they are to have so much water. I guess you don’t know what you’ve got until you haven’t got it. Jane, you would enjoy visiting these beautiful gardens very much.

There were too many people in some parts of the garden for it be relaxing but it was such a beautiful place to visit. We were there in peak season and I would love to visit at a different time of year.

If I ever get to Canada, this is one place which is on my must-see list. Your lovely account has put the gardens almost at the top of the must-see list for me. And now you have shown me the Himalyan Blue Poppy I would have to go when that is in flower.